Lithic Attribute Analysis for Blydefontein Backed Blades and Endscrapers

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Attribute analyses are common in the field of archaeology for categorizing and analyzing artifacts. In this study, the Later Stone Age end scrapers and backed blades from Blydefontein Rock Shelter in South Africa undergo an attribute analysis using an objective attribute guide. The guide combines common terms from previous studies along with new terms for typology to provide an efficient attribute analysis of the Blydefontein backed blades and end scrapers. The guide divides variables of the artifacts into attributes to identify differences between lithics not commonly used when conducting a general typological analysis. These variables include tool type, blank type, blank shape, dorsal scar patterns, lateral trimming, platform type, raw material, measurements, dorsal surface cortex proportion, and color for both end scrapers and backed blades. End scrapers also include variables of lateral trimming side, ventral surface flaking, bit measurements, and bit morphology. The attribute analysis of the Blydefontein Rock Shelter lithic assemblage will aid in the selection of lithic artifacts to be studied through usewear analysis by predetermining manufacture, use, and post deposition attributes.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40227.0